Gas suppression
01384 376 256
A gaseous suppression system is a fire protection method that uses inert or chemical gases to extinguish fires.
These systems are designed to protect sensitive environments where the use of water, foam, or other fire suppression agents could cause damage to equipment, documents, or delicate materials. Common applications include data centres, server rooms, telecommunications facilities, museums, archives, and other areas containing valuable or irreplaceable assets.
Systems installed require integrity to ensure the calculated design concentrations can be achieved, whilst having means to vent to the atmosphere following a discharge.
Gas suppression systems provide an effective and non-damaging method for protecting sensitive environments from fire, ensuring the safety and preservation of valuable assets.
Types of gaseous suppression systems include the following:
Inert Gas Systems: These systems use inert gases, such as nitrogen, argon, or a combination of these, to extinguish fires by reducing the oxygen concentration in the protected area to a level that cannot sustain combustion.
Examples include:
- IG-01: Pure argon
- IG-55: A mixture of 50% argon and 50% nitrogen
- IG-100: Pure nitrogen
- IG-541: A mixture of 52% nitrogen, 40% argon, and 8% carbon dioxide
Inert systems are most commonly stored within cylinders as a gas with limitations on size.
Chemical Agent Systems: These systems use chemical agents that interfere with the chemical reactions occurring during combustion. Examples include:
- FM-200 (HFC-227ea): Extinguishes fire by absorbing heat and interrupting the combustion process.
- Novec 1230 (FK-5-1-12): Extinguishes fire through heat absorption and chemical reaction disruption.
- CO2 (Carbon Dioxide): Extinguishes fire by displacing oxygen and absorbing heat. It is effective but requires careful safety considerations due to the risk of asphyxiation.
Chemical agent systems are most commonly stored within cylinders, with more flexibility on sizing as it is stored as a liquid.
Get in touch
Talk to one of our team>